Unpopular Golden Age Opinions Thread! 9 9

[Scrooge]

Yes, yes, they are but isn't Jungle down there with Wings as the least collected series from FH? Wings is probably even lower, right (apart from the short-run of GGA covers)?

[Ricksneatstuff]

Yes, yes, they are but isn't Jungle down there with Wings as the least collected series from FH? Wings is probably even lower, right (apart from the short-run of GGA covers)?

 

Don't forget Indians and Longbow.

[Scrooge]

Yes, yes, they are but isn't Jungle down there with Wings as the least collected series from FH? Wings is probably even lower, right (apart from the short-run of GGA covers)?

 

Don't forget Indians and Longbow.

 

I was only thinking about the Big 6. But, yes, Indians and Longbow definitely are taking a backseat for most collectors. Probably why I've got those runs complete Though, if we are going that route, I assume that Wambi is probably dead last for FH.

[fifties]

Cover art was meant to hook you, they really didn't care what was put inside as long as you spent your dime.

I would definitely agree with the first sentence, what with 500 competitors monthly, but if the inside was lame, no amount of pretty covers would sustain a title for long. After all, they were bought to read.

EC interior fare was certainly done with competence. I also doubt that CDNP stories were less than intriguing, or they wouldn't have sold millions per month.

[Knightsofold]

Red Raven #1 is the ugliest Timely and I do not understand how it commands the price it does.

 

Sorry, Cat!

 

There will be some sort of atonement for that statement. Warn your friends (if you have any) so they don't get taken out by the lightning bolt or what ever it is that hits you.

 

Hahaha! Great!

[rjpb]

Cover art was meant to hook you, they really didn't care what was put inside as long as you spent your dime.

I would definitely agree with the first sentence, what with 500 competitors monthly, but if the inside was lame, no amount of pretty covers would sustain a title for long. After all, they were bought to read.

EC interior fare was certainly done with competence. I also doubt that CDNP stories were less than intriguing, or they wouldn't have sold millions per month.

 

I've long found it curious that CDNP became less interesting, especially the covers, right when the competition with other crime titles got strongest. Up through #48, the covers alone would get a kid to part with their dime, #49 - #62 still intrigue, but after that, they could hardly become more boring. The stories are okay at this point, but nothing special, the George Tuska interior art being the best thing about many of the later issues. It's no mystery why lower grade copies can still be found for under $10.

[rjpb]

As a collecter who started with coins, then sports cards, and now exclusively comics....I couldn't care less about artwork. I couldn't care less about the story inside. I collect first appearances of characters....and that's it. How's that for an unpopular opinion? But to me it makes perfect sense. You don't collect coins or sports cards because of how how the picture looks or what the writing is. Why comics??

 

One of these is not like the others:

 

Sportscards: Sports card have nothing "inside" them and their purpose is to have a handy pictorial summary of your favorite players/teams.

 

Coins: Coins have nothing "inside" them and their purpose is to make commerce easier.

 

Comics: Comics have 32 to 64 pages of writing and art on the inside and their purpose is to tell stories.

 

Uh ... that's true up until the point you put the comic in a slab, and then it's just a baseball card. Which is why covers now matter so much more than what's going on inside -- such as first appearances and origins. Which is why I think Detective 33 should be worth more than Detective 31. Another unpopular opinion.

 

Exactly! Still, they can always be cracked out again

 

[fifties]

Cover art was meant to hook you, they really didn't care what was put inside as long as you spent your dime.

I would definitely agree with the first sentence, what with 500 competitors monthly, but if the inside was lame, no amount of pretty covers would sustain a title for long. After all, they were bought to read.

EC interior fare was certainly done with competence. I also doubt that CDNP stories were less than intriguing, or they wouldn't have sold millions per month.

 

I've long found it curious that CDNP became less interesting, especially the covers, right when the competition with other crime titles got strongest. Up through #48, the covers alone would get a kid to part with their dime, #49 - #62 still intrigue, but after that, they could hardly become more boring. The stories are okay at this point, but nothing special, the George Tuska interior art being the best thing about many of the later issues. It's no mystery why lower grade copies can still be found for under $10.

The Crime genre in general has never commanded the $ that others such as horror have, and postwar dated CDNP issues having had the largest sales, and therefore the largest number of survivors available, certainly fits right in with low prices. The photo cover issues in particular don't seem to have high demand.

 

There was a cry for comics to clean up their act in the '47-'48 period, possibly resulting in the the last issue to show either blood or someone getting shot on the cover dated November of '48.

 

It's quite the opposite though with their earliest fare. Numbers 24, 26, and 33 will set one back big bucks.

[*paull*]

Fun thread!

 

UNPOPULAR OPINIONS:

 

1. Lou Fine doesn't do anything for me. What's his best cover Hit 5? Fantastic 3? That's the best you got? I never cared for his composition or his inking.

 

2. I love the consistent design of the EC covers, but I LOATHE the color block behind the logos. I've said this before... just imagine if those amazing artists could work with a full cover instead of a little square. It's a crime!

 

3. 1950s DC comics? No thanks. Oh wait, that's a popular opinion!

 

4. Harvey Comics get WAY too much attention. TOT15 and BCM50 are very overrated. Not a big fan of the interiors. I'll take Farrell interiors over Harvey.

 

5. Shelly Moldoff and Carmine Infantino. No.

 

6. I hate teams of kids. My dream comic would be THE BOY COMMANDOS vs. THE NEWSBOY LEGION vs. THE YOUNG ALLIES : FINAL ISSUE! NO KID IS LEFT STANDING! How many tough kids wearing hooligan snap caps did Kirby create in his career? A thousand?

 

7. Least favorite artist? Whoever edited/colored DC covers in the Golden Age.

 

8. If only Eisner saved that beautiful artwork for characters that we actually liked.

[The_SandMan]

 

7. Least favorite artist? Whoever edited/colored DC covers in the Golden Age.

 

 

 

Blasphemy!!

 

[*paull*]

 

7. Least favorite artist? Whoever edited/colored DC covers in the Golden Age.

 

 

 

Blasphemy!!

 

You must be a big fan of red and yellow!

[The_SandMan]

 

7. Least favorite artist? Whoever edited/colored DC covers in the Golden Age.

 

 

 

Blasphemy!!

 

You must be a big fan of red and yellow!

 

Hmmm.... how'd ya know??

[Jayman]

6. I hate teams of kids. My dream comic would be THE BOY COMMANDOS vs. THE NEWSBOY LEGION vs. THE YOUNG ALLIES : FINAL ISSUE! NO KID IS LEFT STANDING! How many tough kids wearing hooligan snap caps did Kirby create in his career? A thousand?

 

[PUNYHUMAN]

1. Lou Fine doesn't do anything for me. What's his best cover Hit 5? Fantastic 3? That's the best you got? I never cared for his composition or his inking.

 

I think you just upset Jon Berk, Steve Cary, Myself, and quite a few others.

BTW Hit # 5 and Fantastic comics # 3 are two of my faves in my collection,among other Lou Fine books.Wonderworld # 7 , # 8, Hit # 11, etc.

Edited August 10, 2016 by PUNYHUMAN

[comicjack]

That is like saying LB Cole doesn't do anything for you ,but everyone has his tastes

[PUNYHUMAN]

Your right about taste. BTW I want to clarify that was Paul who said that quote.

[mrmyst]

I had a nice, looong chat with Jim Steranko over dinner a couple SD cons back...we had an interesting discussion on rankings of the top 10 'greatest' comic book artists of all time...yes, Lou Fine was on Steranko's list.

[PUNYHUMAN]

I remember having a conversation with George Tuska years ago at a con.We were talking about Lou Fine and how he worked with him, Charlie Sultan and others. He said, Louie was the best with a brush. I then pulled out a copy of Hit #5 for him to look at. He was bowled over saying it was beautiful.

[*paull*]

1. Lou Fine doesn't do anything for me. What's his best cover Hit 5? Fantastic 3? That's the best you got? I never cared for his composition or his inking.

 

I think you just upset Jon Berk, Steve Cary, Myself, and quite a few others.

BTW Hit # 5 and Fantastic comics # 3 are two of my faves in my collection,among other Lou Fine books.Wonderworld # 7 , # 8, Hit # 11, etc.

 

Hahaha... I don't dislike Lou Fine's work. There would simply be a long line in front of him if I were to compile a list of favorite GA artists.

 

Comments on a few opinions in this thread:

 

1. Love the Sub-Mariner... he's a timeless anti-hero. The way he was used in the FF and a number of the Sub-Mariner issues of the late 60's and early 70s are a testament to his strength. Babyface and heel in one!

 

2. Mask 1 over Mask 2. Mask 1 was the book that I flipped over when I saw it in a CBG in the early 90s and it was the first GA book I purchased (and still have). One of my favorite GA covers, if not the top!

 

3. Weird Mysteries #5: It's more than just monkey brains! Read the interior! It's my favorite PCH book

 

4. Have to agree about Horrific #3. The War Fury cover is far better, and pretty much all of Heck's covers for Horrific are better than that one.

 

5. Also have to agree that the best covers of the 30's were on pulps.

 

 

 

 

MORE UNPOPULAR OPINIONS

 

9. Briefer is one of the best storytellers and illustrators of the Golden Age. If you don't believe me, check out Frankenstein #18 on. Some really great stuff.

 

10. I don't like any Atlas covers that aren't full bleed. For instance, not fond of the ones cut into vertical panels or ones with the three inset boxes.

 

11. Jack Cole doesn't get his due. Every time I look at the interior work that he did on Plastic Man, I'm just blown away. I do wish he worked on bigger characters... his legacy would have been different.

 

 

[PUNYHUMAN]

I don't think Jack Cole gets his due either. Those Plastic Man stories and art are some of the best in the golden age. I have some of those archives , really enjoy them. Well done for the time!